Food Hygiene Rating Scheme

Notes for Food Business Operator:

Right to Appeal

  • As the food business operator of the establishment you have a right to appeal the food hygiene rating given following your inspection if you do not agree that the rating reflects the hygiene standards and management controls found at the time of the inspection.
  • You have 14 days (including weekends and bank holidays) from the date of receipt of the notification letter to lodge an appeal (this can be given at the time of inspection).
  • Please use the appeal form available to download at and return it to Environmental Health. North West Leicestershire District Council, Council Offices, Coalville Leicestershire LE67 3FJ or by email to . Alternatively the form can be submitted online.
  • Your rating will be reviewed and the outcome of your appeal will be communicated to you within seven days.

Right to request a re-visit

  • As the food business operator of the establishment you have a right to request a re-visit for the purposes of re-rating if you have taken action to rectify the non-compliances identified at the time of inspection.
  • You can make one request for a re-visit per each planned statutory inspection by the local authority and you can make this at any time after the statutory inspection provided that you have made the required improvements.
  • You must provide details of the improvements made with your request, including supporting evidence where appropriate – this can be clarified by your inspecting officer if required.
  • If the North West Leicestershire District Council considers that you have provided sufficient evidence that the required improvements have been made, and provided that a three month ‘stand still’ period has passed since the statutory inspection, the local authority will make an unannounced visit. This will take place within three months of the end of the three month ‘stand still’ period or within three months of the request if this made after the ‘stand still’ period (if you were only required to make permanent structural improvements or repairs or to upgrade equipment, the local authority can choose to carry out the requested re-visit sooner than this).
  • The local authority officer will give you a ‘new’ food hygiene rating based on the level of compliance that is found at the time of the re-visit - you should be aware that your rating could go up, down or remain the same.
  • To make a request for a revisit, please use the revisit form available to download at and return it to Environmental Health. North West Leicestershire District Council, Council Offices, Coalville Leicestershire LE67 3FJ or by email to . Alternatively the form can be submitted online or a hard copy can be provided upon request.

Right to Reply

  • As the food business operator of the establishment you have a ‘right to reply’ in respect of the food hygiene rating given following your inspection.
  • The purpose is to enable you to give an explanation of subsequent actions that have been taken to make the required improvements as detailed in the inspection letter, or to explain mitigation for the circumstances at the time of the inspection. It is not for making complaints or for criticising the scheme or food safety officer.
  • If you wish to use this ‘right to reply’, please use the “Right to Reply” formavailable to download at and return it to Environmental Health. North West Leicestershire District Council, Council Offices, Coalville Leicestershire LE67 3FJ or by email to . Alternatively the form can be submitted online or a hard copy can be provided upon request.
  • Your comments will be reviewed by the food safety officer and may be edited in order to remove offensive or defamatory remarks before being published online and displayed together with your food hygiene rating at food.gov.uk/ratings.

There will be a statement at food.gov.uk/ratings that will highlight that the accuracy of your comments has not been verified by local authority officers.